New computers slow results for Monroe

It was nearly midnight Tuesday before City of Monroe election results were announced, the latest City Hall observers ever could remember for a primary.

City Clerk/Treasurer Charles Evans said there was a simple explanation.

?We got new laptop computers provided by the state for free under the Help America Vote Act. But we had glitches,? Mr. Evans said. ?Some of the people are not computer savvy. Some of the commands are very difficult to understand.?

He said neighboring Frenchtown Township refused to use laptops.

The polls closed at 8 p.m. and the city reported problems at Precinct 4 (Grace Lutheran) and 6 (First Baptist Church).

?It was a new system. We had issues,? Mr. Evans said. ?We?re double and triple checking all of our processes. We didn?t want to turn anything over to the county clerk until we?re certain.?

He said he was pleasantly surprised by what seemed like a good turnout for a primary election. Only about 20 percent of city voters generally turn out for a primary.

The Help America Vote Act was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2002 as a response to nearly two million votes being disqualified in the 2000 presidential election.

City workers clerk/treasurer?s office still were wrapping things up after midnight today.

?Some of our people have been here since 5:30 a.m.,? Mr. Evans said. ?Most of the time it?s not like this, but sometimes it?s frustrating with a lot of stress.?

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